The National Capital Region and other provinces will be under a 15-day Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) effective 04 August 2020.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte made the public announcement following the appeal of an overworked and exhausted health work force that raised several issues and upon the recommendation of the Cabinet members.
“I have heard the call of different groups from the medical community for the 2 weeks ECQ in Mega Manila. I fully understand why you health workers would like to ask for a timeout period. Kung walang tutulong sa bansa at mga kababayan natin, sino ang maasahan ko? Sino ang maaasahan natin na gumawa ng trabahong ito? (If there’s no one to help our country and countrymen, who will I depend on? Who will I depend on to do this work?
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the Administration has come up with a 7-point response to address the concerns of health workers.
“Una po, ang pag-hire ng additional healthcare workers at bumuo ng healthcare worker reserve. (First is the hiring of additional healthcare workers and the creation of a healthcare worker reserve);
“Pangalawa ang pagbibigay ng additional benefits para sa mga healthcare workers… May rekomendasyon na magbigay ng 10,000 risk allowance for private sector healthcare workers at libreng life insurance na sana ay maisabatas sa Bayanihan 2 (Second is the granting of additional benefits to our healthcare workers. There is a recomemdation to grant Php 10,000 risk allowance for the private sector healthcare workers and free life insurance which will hopefully be put into law through the Bayanihan 2);
“Kasama na rin ang pagbibigay ng libreng accomodation at transportation na isa namng inumpisahan nang gawin ng DOH para sa mga manggagawang pangkalusugan (This includes free accomodation and transportation for health workers which has already been started by the DOH for health workers.
“At ang pagsagawa ng frequent testing sa healthcare workers. Kasama na rin ito sa expanded testing strategy (and conducting frequent testing for healthcare workers. This also includes an expanded testing strategy);
“Pangatlo po ang paggamit ng work and quarantine passes para ma-minimize ang paglalabas ng tao (Third is the use of work and quarantine passes to help minimize [transmission]);
“Pang-apat po ang pagpapaigting ng localized lockdowns strategy at ang implementasyon ng OPLAN Kalinga sa tulong ng LGUs at COVID-19 CODE teams (Fourth, impase stricter localized lockdowns strategy and the implementation of OPLAN Kalinga with the help LGUs and COVID-19 CODE teams);
“Panlima ay i-intensify ang strict enforcement ng guidelines on minimum health standards at ang pagbibigay ng 20 million cloth masks for the poor (Fifth, to intensify strict enforcement of guidelines on minimum health standards and the free distribution of 20 million cloth masks for the poor);
“Pang-anim ay ang paggamit ng RT PCR bilang gold standard sa ating pong pagtukoy ng mga kaso ng COVID-19 (sixth is the use of the RT PCR as gold standard in identifying the COVID-19 cases); and
“Ang pinakahuli po ay inirerekomenda nang mariin ng gabinete na manumbalik po tayo sa MECQ for 15 days, mula bukas, August 3, hanggang August 18 (Last is the recommended option of re-imposition of the MECQ for 15 days, starting tomorrow, August 3 until August 18).
Aside from Metro Manila, also included in the imposition of the MECQ are Laguna, Bulacan and Region 4A. ⁃ Jasmine Barrios
